Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. Which had been in subjection to them from the times of David, 2 Samuel 8:2 refusing to pay a tribute as they had done; taking advantage of Ahab's ill success with the king of Syria, and of his death, and the condition and circumstances of his successor. read more
And Ahaziah fell down a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria ,.... Which was either a window or lattice in the form of network, to let in light; or rather were the rails of a balcony or battlement on the roof of his palace, in this form, on which leaning, it broke down, and he fell into the garden or court yard; or walking on the roof of his house, and treading unawares on a sky light, which let in light into a room underneath, he fell through it into it: and was sick ; the... read more
But the angel of the Lord said unto Elijah ,.... One of the ministering spirits sent by the Lord to him: arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria : that is, the king of Israel, whose capital city was Samaria: is it not because there is not a God in Israel ; known, acknowledged, and worshipped there, of whom there had been sufficient proof of his deity and divine perfections, as omniscience, omnipotence, &c.; that ye go to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron... read more
Now therefore thus saith the Lord ,.... Jehovah, the only true God: thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shall surely die ; this sickness should be unto death, and the bed he had betaken himself to should be his deathbed. The phrases of going up to bed, and coming down, are used with great propriety; for in the eastern countries, in their bedchambers, they had a gallery raised four or five feet above the floor, with a balustrade on the front F4 See... read more
Moab rebelled - The Moabites had been subdued by David, and laid under tribute, 2 Kings 3:4 , and 2 Samuel 8:2 . After the division of the two kingdoms, the Moabites fell partly under the dominion of Israel, and partly under that of Judah, until the death of Ahab, when they arose and shook off this yoke. Jehoram confederated with the king of Judah and the king of Edom, in order to reduce them. See this war, 2 Kings 3:5 . read more
Fell down through a lattice - Perhaps either through the flat root of his house, or over or through the balustrades with which the roof was surrounded. Go , inquire of Baal-zebub - Literally, the fly-god, or master of flies. The Septuagint has βααλ μυιαν , Baal the fly. He was the tutelary god of Ekron, and probably was used at first as a kind of telesm, to drive away flies. He became afterwards a very respectable devil, and was supposed to have great power and influence.... read more
But shalt surely die - The true God tells you this; he in whose hands are both life and death, who can kill and make alive. Baal-zebub can do nothing; God has determined that your master shall die. read more
Then Moab rebelled ; literally, and Moab rebelled , but with an idea, not merely of sequence, but of consequence. The "Moabite Stone," discovered in 1869, throws considerable light on the character and circumstances of this rebellion. Moab had, we know, been subjected by David ( 2 Samuel 8:2 ), and had been very severely treated. Either in the reign of Solomon, or more probably at his death, and the disruption of his kingdom, the Moabites had revolted, and resumed an independent... read more
The revolt of Moab. (On this cf. 2 Kings 3:1-27 .) Moab, one of the conquests of David ( 2 Samuel 8:2 ), perhaps regained its independence after the death of Solomon, and, if the Moabite Stone can be trusted, was again subdued by Omri, Ahab's father. Now, on the occasion of the death of Ahab, it renewed the attempt to throw off the Israelitish yoke. 1. The original conquest had been not unstained by cruelty. These things burn into the memory of peoples. 2. The rule of Omri and... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 1:1-8
We have here Ahaziah, the wicked king of Israel, under God's rebukes both by his providence and by his prophet, by his rod and by his word. I. He is crossed in his affairs. How can those expect to prosper that do evil in the sight of the Lord, and provoke him to anger? When he rebelled against God, and revolted from his allegiance to him, Moab rebelled against Israel, and revolted from the subjection that had long paid to the kings of Israel, 2 Kgs. 1:1. The Edomites that bordered on Judah,... read more